After bidding good-bye to New York's brightest star, Elizabeth Holland, rumors continue to fly about her untimely demise.

All eyes are on those closest to the dearly departed: her mischievous sister, Diana, now the family's only hope for redemption; New York's most notorious cad, Henry Schoon-maker, the flame Elizabeth never extinguished; the seductive Penelope Hayes, poised to claim all that her best friend left behind—including Henry; even Elizabeth's scheming former maid, Lina Broud, who discovers that while money matters and breeding counts, gossip is the new currency.

As old friends become rivals, Manhattan's most dazzling socialites find their futures threatened by whispers from the past. In this delicious sequel to The Luxe, nothing is more dangerous than a scandal . . . or more precious than a secret.

My Thoughts:

This series is like a soap opera, and I could see it as a TV show on the CW network, and I would probably watch it. It might be worth it alone just for the pretty dresses.

The year is 1899 and Elizabeth Holland has just offed herself, or did she? Now they are on the cusp of the new year and rumors are flying rampantly around about her demise and what her naughty sister Diana is up too. There's more from Lena and her crew, always stirring up trouble for the Holland sisters. Penelope is ever present as the queen bitch, deviously conniving her way to the top. Sounds just like an overly dramatic soap, huh. That's why I have to say this series is like a guilty pleasure for me.

I listened to this on Audio with Nina Siemaszko doing the narration. This narration is better than the first book, because I could actually hear it. Their were some mispronounced words and misnaming of people in one particular scene, although I don't know if the latter is the fault of the narrator, but anyway they did lessen my enjoyment of the book. The narrator gets a 3.5 Star rating.